North Hill

We are working hard to make our nature reserves safe and ready for our staff, visitors and wildlife. Many have now re-opened in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, although some facilities such as toilets are not yet available. All our other reserves remain closed for now. Please see our COVID-19 updates page for the latest information (link below).
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Address
RSPB North Hill, Papa Westray KW17 2BU
Grid ref
HY495538
See our updates page to see which reserves are open.

There's nowhere quite like Papa Westray. Studded with delicate wildflowers, North Hill is perhaps Orkney's finest area of maritime heath. The reserve is home to an extremely rare plant, the Scottish primrose, while stunning low-level cliffs play host to nationally important numbers of breeding Arctic terns and skuas.

Plan your visit

Opening times

Open at all times.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
Free, but donations are very welcome.
Children
Free, but donations are very welcome.

Facilities

  • Car park
  • Guided walks
  • Viewing point
  • Nature trails
  • Educational facilities

Accessibility

How to get here

By road

From the pier or airfield, travel northward along the main road. Continue past Rose Cottage (painted pink) until the road bends sharply to the right at the reserve entrance.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Other ways to get there

Papa Westray can be reached from Mainland Orkney by either ferry or plane - see the Papa Westray site for further information.

For flights and ferry information to Orkney, contact VisitOrkney at West Castle Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1GU. Website: visitorkney.com Tel: 01856 872856.

Get directions from Google Maps
RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Group booking information

Group visits are welcome. Please contact the Orkney office on 01856 850176.

Schools booking information

School visits are available on our Orkney reserves on a variety of topics. Please contact the Orkney Office on 01856 850176 for further details.

What will the weather be like?

10 degrees, Light rain

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 128Kb

North Hill trail guide

Contact North Hill

What will you see?

Our star species

Nature spectacles

Look closely for the tiny precious purple blooms of Scottish primrose in May and July.  These rare flowers are found in just a few locations in Orkney and North Scotland.

Seasonal highlights

Seabirds are returning to the cliffs to breed including guillemots, razorbills, puffins and kittiwakes. Great and Arctic skuas claim territories. At the beginning of May, Arctic terns arrive to begin breeding amongst the heather. The rare Scottish primrose at Fowl Craig begins flowering in mid-May.

Enjoy coastal plants which are in full bloom along the cliff tops, while seabirds feed chicks on the cliff ledges. The Scottish primrose at Fowl Craig flowers again in July and you should see breeding wading birds. Seals, whales and dolphins can be seen around the coast.

Occasionally, dolphins and whales can be seen breaking the surface on calm days. Autumn is a time when many unusual bird species can turn up on Papa Westray - keep your eyes peeled and you may be lucky enough to spot a rarity.

Great northern divers, black guillemots and red-throated divers can be seen offshore. Both grey and common seals may be hauled up on the rocky shore or surfing in the waves.

About North Hill

Habitat

Explore a magical maritime heathland studded with delicate wildflowers as you explore the wild coast. The low-lying cliffs along the reserve's east coast hold a small, but densely packed colony of guillemots, razorbills, shags and kittiwakes. Look out for puffins and black guillemots around the coast.

Conservation

We are maintaining the special maritime heath for the benefit of breeding populations of Arctic terns and Arctic skuas, while protecting the site from marine pollution and introduced mammalian predators.

Seasonal grazing by cattle helps breeding waders, including lapwings, redshanks and snipe. We are also working to protect breeding seabirds, including guillemots, kittiwakes, fulmars, black guillemots and razorbills.

We use regular monitoring to inform our management of the reserve, including surveys of key breeding bird species and studies on seabird productivity.

Site information

The North Hill nature reserve covers an area of 206 hectares and is largely maritime heathland bounded by sea cliffs and rocky shoreline. The reserve is managed in partnership with the North Hill Grazing Committee and is owned by the community.  The special habitats and species found here are recognised by designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protection Area (SPA) and Marine Protection Area (MPA).

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Activities and events

Activities for children and families

Guided walks are available in the summer months. Please check our website for family-friendly events.

Leisure activities

School visits are available on our Orkney reserves on a variety of topics. Please contact the Orkney Office on 01856 850176 for further details.

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